Network services dependent on geographical constraints

ABSTRACT

A method and system are disclosed for determining the geographic location of a user communicating on a communications network such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a provider of a product or service: (a) receives the user&#39;s phone number (or other identification for contacting the user&#39;s station), and (b) supplies the user&#39;s station with a distinctive identifier. The provider then supplies a location determining service with the user&#39;s phone number (or other identification). A phone call is made to the phone number by the location determining service for retrieving the distinctive identifier from the network station having the phone number. If the distinctive identifier is retrieved and the location determining service determines that the user&#39;s station is within an appropriate geographical area (or not within an inappropriate area), then the provider can provide the requested product or service to the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent Ser. No.14/228,951, filed Mar. 28, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patentSer. No. 13/561,846, filed Jul. 30, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,694,025),which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/857,565,filed May 28, 2004, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/669,255, filed Sep. 25, 2000, and which claims the benefitof U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/156,066 filed Sep. 24,1999. All of the above references are incorporated herein by thisreference.

RELATED FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to verifying geographic locations of userson a communications network, e.g., for determining whether to provide aproduct or service to such users, and in particular, the presentinvention is useful for determining whether a product or service can belegitimately provided to an Internet user by determining the Internetuser's geographic location when the product or service is requested.

BACKGROUND

Geographically extensive communication networks such as the Internet aresubstantially viewed as being geographicless in the sense that suchnetworks extend across substantially all national and all local country,state, and political boundaries. Accordingly, it has been difficult tomonitor and/or provide certain services on networks, such as theInternet, due to the network not having sufficient capability forrespecting such boundaries. Moreover, while legal statutes nay causecertain network sites to be restricted in their network services due tothe site's geographical location being within the jurisdiction for suchstatutes, other network sites outside of the area to which the statutesapply may have an unfair advantage in that the prohibited services canbe offered to substantially all network users from such latter networksites, In particular, the above described general scenario applies togambling on the Internet in that, e.g., Internet sites within the UnitedStates are prohibited, in general, from offering wagering on games suchas blackjack, poker, pai gow, craps and roulette due to gamblingrestrictions in various U.S. states and/or counties or other legaljurisdictions.

Additionally, other communication network services are also either notavailable or not appropriately restricted due to the lack of being ableto locate and/or verify the locations of network users. In particular,certain software products have been determined by various governments tobe restricted in their dissemination across national boundaries.Accordingly, if network users could have their locations verified, thensuch restrictions in the downloading of software from the Internet couldbe better enforced. Additionally, by verifying a location of a networkuser, network services could be effectively taxed according to theuser's location when purchasing a network service such as thedownloading of software via the Internet.

Moreover, by verifying a network user's location, a network site incommunication with the user may be able to adapt its services and/ordisplay to present to the user relevant information and services relatedto a geographical area within which the user is determined to belocated. For example, an Internet website can utilize a verification ofa user's location for selecting or prioritizing: (a) a list ofadditional website offering services that are available near the user'slocation, and/or (b) advertising of services or products locallyavailable to the user. Note that the verification (or more precisedetermination) of a user's location in the present context may beparticularly important for wireless Internet. users who are travelingand/or who do not know their current location, For example, providingsuch an Internet website for the travel industry, allows a user toaccess the website from different locations (via, e.g., different hotelInternet connections, or via a mobile wireless Internet connection), andsubsequently select locally related advertising and other localinformation such as locally preferred restaurants, locations of scenicsites, a listing of local events, etc. based on the user's location andoptionally the date and time (as contemplated by the present invention).

Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a network based capabilityfor geographically verifying and/or more precisely determining thelocation o network users for allowing, restricting, and/or selectingnetwork services according to each user's location.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a method and system for determining orverifying the geographic location of a user while the user iscommunicating on a communications network such as the Internet. Theuser's location can be straightforwardly determined by a provider of aproduct or service requested by the user during network communicationsbetween the user and the provider. Thus, the user's location can bedetermined at the time the service or product is requested by theprovider.

In one embodiment of the present invention, to determine the location ofthe user's network station (and thus locating the user), the provider:(a) receives the user's phone number (or other identification forcontacting the user's station), and (b) supplies the user's station witha distinctive identifier. Additionally, the provider supplies a locationdetermining service with the user's phone number (or otheridentification) requesting that the location determining servicedetermine tile location of the network station having the phone number.Moreover, a phone call is made to the phone number for retrieving thedistinctive identifier from the network station having the phone number.If the distinctive identifier is retrieved and the location determiningservice indicates that the user's station is within an appropriategeographical area (or not within an inappropriate area), then theprovider can provide the requested product or service to the user.

Thus the present invention is a location determining service forverifying, or more precisely determining, the location of users on acommunications network such as the Internet. In particular, embodimentsof the network based location system of the present invention combinenetwork (e.g. Internet) services with telephony location services thatare available for locating telephone users. In particular, such userlocation capabilities are widely used for emergency services such as911. Moreover, enhancements in location technologies have extended thetraditional landline based location services to also include users onwireless devices such as cellular or wireless telephones.

Thus, it is an aspect of the present invention, as related to theInternet, to combine: (a) Internet communications between, e.g., awebsite and a user with (b) additional telephony based communicationsbetween the website and the user for verifying the location of the userprior to providing and/or selecting the services that the website offersto the Internet user. In particular, the present invention transmits aunique identifier to an Internet user whose location is to be verified,and subsequently causes the Internet user to place a conventionaltelephony call to a predetermined phone number for transmitting theidentification (provided in the initial Internet transmission to theInternet user). Subsequently, upon picking up the call placed by theInternet user to the predetermined number, the callee (e.g., thewebsite) captures both the Internet user's telephone number and thetransmitted identification. The transmitted identification is used toretrieve previously stored information about the Internet user, and inparticular, a user's previously input general geographical location(e.g., the country, state or city within which the user has indicatedhe/she is located), and associate the user information with the Internetuser's captured phone number.

Subsequently, the user's general location is used to identify atelephony location providing service having coverage for the userspecified general geographical area of the Internet user for therebydetermining or verifying a relatively precise location of the user, andproviding this information to the website so that appropriate servicescan be selected for providing to the Internet user.

In one embodiment of the present application, the following steps areperformed for determining the location of a user requesting servicesfrom a network site of a communications network:

-   -   Step 1: receiving, at the network site, user information for        identifying the user, and a first approximate location of the        user;    -   Step 2: determining, using the first approximate location of the        user, a location service provider providing coverage for the        first approximate user location;    -   Step 3: causing the user's network station to call a        predetermined telephone number for identifying the user;    -   Step 4: receiving the user's call at the predetermined telephone        number, and: (a) capturing the user's telephone number, and (b)        obtaining identification information for identifying the user;    -   Step 5: transmitting the user's telephone number to one of the        telephony location service providers selected for determining a        location of the user; and    -   Step 6: receiving from the selected telephony location service        provider, a more precise location of the user; and determining        services to be provided to the user on the communications        network according to the more precise location.

Other features and benefits of the present invention will become evidentfrom the accompanying drawings and the detailed description hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the high level components used in anembodiment of the present invention wherein the communications networkis, for example, the Internet.

FIGS. 2A and 2B provide a flowchart of the high level steps performed ata network service site (e.g., an Internet website), and at a user'snetwork station for verifying the location of the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a high level diagram of the components used in anembodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, a communicationsnetwork 10, such as the Internet, is used for providing network basedservices between a network service site 14 and one or more network userstations 18 whose locations are desired to be verified (or determined)one or more times by the network service site 14. Additionally, one ormore telephony location service providers 22 are in communication withthe network site 14, via one or more public switched telephone networks26, wherein the network service site 14 provides the telephone numbersof users (at their stations 18) who are to have their locationsdetermined. Accordingly, the telephony location service providers 22respond with locations of the network users. Note that such telephonylocation service providers 22 are currently available for providing thelocation of telephony subscribers for emergency services such as 911.Moreover, various technologies have been developed for also verifyingthe location of users on cellular or wireless phones such as globalpositioning location technologies, time difference of arrivaltriangulation technologies, angle of arrival technologies, and multipathpattern matching technologies for wireless signals as one skilled in theart will understand. Moreover, as one skilled in the art will alsounderstand, the automatic location identification (ALI) currently usedfor emergency 911 services can also be used for providing locationservices to other location requesters such as the network service site14.

The network service site 14 also accesses a database 30 of telephonylocation service providers 22, wherein the database associates eachlocation service provider with their corresponding geographical coveragearea for providing locations of users. This database is used to selectan appropriate location service provider 22 given the general area inwhich the network user has indicated he/she is located, Additionally,the network service site 14 also accesses a database 34 having anygeographical constraints to be applied during service activation with auser once the user's location has been verified (e.g., gambling wageringlimitations according to the user's location). Moreover, note that inaddition to geographical constraints, the database 34 may also includegeographically associated advertising and additional information toprovide to the user depending upon the user's verified location,

A general high level flowchart illustrating the steps performed by thepresent invention is provided in the flowchart of FIGS. 2A and 2B. Notethat this flowchart describes the steps performed when a network userrequest a particular service. However, as one skilled in the art willunderstand, a similar flowchart can be provided for substantiallyunrequested services as advertising of locally available products and/orservices, The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presentedfor purposes of illustration and description. Further, the descriptionis not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein.Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the aboveteachings, and within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art, arewithin the scope of the present invention. The embodiments describedhereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presentlyknown of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in theart to utilize the invention as such, or in other embodiments, and withthe various modifications required by their particular application oruses of the invention, It is intended that the appended claims beconstrued to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted bythe prior art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for determining the location of a userby locating a network station residing with the user for providingnetwork communications, comprising performing the following steps (a)through (f) at a time when the location is desired, wherein one or morenetworks are accessed by the network station from a plurality ofdifferent locations, wherein at least one of the different locations isused to determine whether at least one network service is available tothe network station via a connection to at least one networks; (a)receiving, via a first network communication from the network station,first identification information for identifying the user or the networkstation; (b) subsequently transmitting, via a second networkcommunication, second identification information to the network stationfor storing thereon and distinctively identifying the user or thenetwork station; (c) subsequently receiving, from the network stationvia a third network communication, the second identification informationat a predetermined network site; (d) using the received secondidentification information to identify the first identificationinformation; (e) subsequently transmitting, via a fourth networkcommunication, a request for determining a location of the networkstation when the first identification information is identified, whereinthe request is determined using a first approximate location of thenetwork station; (f) receiving, in response to the request, a fifthnetwork communication for providing a more precise location of the userthan the first approximate location to a predetermined network site; andselecting a wireless location provider using the first approximatelocation, wherein the wireless location provider is then activated fordetermining the more precise location, the wireless location providerdetermining the more precise location using one of: global positioninglocation technology, a wireless signal time difference of arrivallocation technology, a wireless signal angle of arrival locationtechnology, and a wireless signal multipath pattern matching locationtechnology; wherein a destination of the request is determined using thefirst approximate location, wherein the network station includes acellular wireless device for communicating on the Internet while thesteps a-f are performed; and determining the request according to acoverage area of a location determining service having the firstapproximate location, wherein the network station includes a cellularwireless device for communicating on the Internet.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 further including using the first approximate location toidentify a location determining service to which the request istransmitted.
 3. The method of claim 1 further including determining aservice to be provided to the user according to the more preciselocation.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service includesproviding advertising to the network station based on the more preciselocation.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the service includesselecting or prioritizing network sites based on the more preciselocation, wherein the selection or prioritization includes obtaininginformation for identifying websites that offer services near the user'smore precise location.
 6. The method of claim 1, further includingdetermining whether the second identification information is retrievedfrom the network station in order to perform the transmitting step. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the service includes selecting orprioritizing network sites based on the more precise location, whereinthe selection or prioritization includes obtaining advertisinginformation for identifying products or services that are offered nearto the user's more precise location.
 8. The method of claim 13, whereinthe step of subsequently receiving, from the network station via a thirdnetwork communication, the second identification information at apredetermined national site, is in response to a request for the secondidentification information; and wherein the network station is awireless network station; and the more precise location requiresanalysis of a geographically varying characteristic of wireless signalsbetween the network station and the network.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the first approximate location is used for determining alocation providing source for determining the more precise location. 10.The method of claim 1, further including a step of identifying alocation providing service from a plurality of location providingservices for determining the more precise location.
 11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein each of the steps are performed at a time a product orservice is requested via an Internet transmission by the user.
 12. Amethod for determining the location of a user by locating a networkstation residing with the user for providing network communications,comprising performing the following steps (a) through (f) at a time whenthe location is desired, wherein one or more networks are accessed bythe network station from a plurality of different locations, wherein atleast one of the different locations is used to determine whether atleast one network service is available to the network station via aconnection to at least one networks; (a) receiving, via a first networkcommunication from the network station, first identification informationfor identifying the user or the network station; (b) subsequentlytransmitting, via a second network communication, second identificationinformation to the network station for storing thereon and distinctivelyidentifying the user or the network station; (c) subsequently receiving,from the network station via a third network communication, the secondidentification information at a predetermined network site; (d) usingthe received second identification information to identify the firstidentification information; (e) subsequently transmitting, via a fourthnetwork communication, a request for determining a location of thenetwork station when the first identification information is identified,wherein the request is determined using a first approximate location ofthe network station; (f) receiving, in response to the request, a fifthnetwork communication for providing a more precise location of the userthan the first approximate location to a predetermined network site; andselecting a wireless location provider using the first approximatelocation, wherein the wireless location provider is then activated fordetermining the more precise location, the wireless location providerdetermining the more precise location using one of: a wireless signaltime difference of arrival location technology, a wireless signal angleof arrival location technology, and a wireless signal multipath patternmatching location technology; wherein a destination of the request isdetermined using the first approximate location, wherein the networkstation includes a cellular wireless device for communicating on theInternet while the steps (a)-(f) are performed; and determining therequest according to a coverage area of a location determining servicehaving the first approximate location, wherein the network stationincludes a cellular wireless device for communicating on the Internet.13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said networkcommunications are directed to one or more of: gambling services,taxation services, services for the distribution of software,advertising presentations, and information related to locations within alocal geographical area that the user is expected to find of interest.14. The method of claim 12, wherein a destination of the request isdetermined using the first approximate location, wherein the networkstation includes a cellular wireless device for communicating on theInternet while the steps of claim 16 are performed.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, further including determining the request according to acoverage area of a location determining service having the firstapproximate location, wherein the network station includes a cellularwireless device for communicating on the Internet.
 16. The method ofclaim 12, further including using the first approximate location toidentify a location determining service to which the request istransmitted.
 17. The method of claim 12, further including determining aservice to be provided to the user according to the more preciselocation.
 18. The method of claim 12, further including determiningwhether the second identification information is retrieved from thenetwork station in order to perform the transmitting step.
 19. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the first approximate location is used fordetermining a location providing source for determining the more preciselocation.
 20. The method of claim 12, further including a step ofidentifying a location providing service from a plurality of locationproviding services for determining the more precise location.